I Won't Fall Asleep This Time
by CulinaryChef
Summary: Austria takes a young Liechtenstein to watch the sunrise, a favor she reciprocates years later.


The voice came softly, unexpectedly:

"Liechtenstein."

The little girl curled closer to herself, only making a small whimpering sound.

Austria tried again. "Liechtenstein."

This time the girl stirred and propped herself up, rubbing her eyes with a small fist. "Mr. Austria?"

He wrapped her up in a blanket and took her in his arms. "Come with me."

"Where are we going?" came the sleepy reply.

"There is something I wish to show you." He kissed her head, taking in the scent of her soft hair, before gently setting her down.

The girl glanced at her guardian, curiously blinking her large green eyes, still laced with sleep. "Where?"

He took her small five-year-old hand in his. "You shall see."

Before the little girl could piece this mysterious adventure together, she and her guardian were walking down the serene road, abandoned at this early hour, the light of a time unfamiliar to her kissing her cheeks and playing across his spectacles.

Soon enough, the two stepped onto the sand of a small beachside cove. He had taken her here many times in her short life, and she enjoyed coming with him, but it had always been much much later in the day, before her afternoon nap or after supper.

He sat down on their favorite rock, an impromptu bench of sorts perfect for meals and stories, and settled her in his lap.

"Why are we here?" she wondered through a yawn.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her close to his chest. "You shall see in a moment."

A moment came and a moment went, as moments tend to do, and the little girl was left still wondering what could have prompted this rendezvous.

As if answering her question, a little pinch of amber light crept its way across the sky.

"Welcome to the sunrise," Austria informed. "Enjoy the show."

'The show' consisted of nature's dawn-time ritual, a daily ceremony but something new and wonderful to the five-year-old, beautiful in the simplicity and magical in the hour.

Streams of light laced the clouds like silvery yarn, and those clouds illuminated the sky.

The light reflected perfectly upon the beautifully still water. Little green eyes darted from sky to sea.

"It's difficult to put into words, but you just feel so... right," began the man's commentary. "Everything is just so and as it is supposed to be."

"The sky's not supposed to be here?" This confused the girl greatly.

He bounced her on his knee for a moment, much to her contentment, and then continued. "Here, the world is truly at peace. You need not ask a single question, nor answer to anything or anyone. The sky has a way of putting us in our place. We are one and the same, none of us bigger than the others, and yet in spite of - or perhaps due to - this circumstance, we all congregate and take solace under the sky, grander than all of us. It is almost as if you are one of the very clouds that adorn this tapestry."

"But you're not a cloud! You're a country." She giggled. "You make no sense, Mr. Austria."

A soft smile played across his pale lips. "One day you'll understand."

So again, moments came and moments went, and by now the light was dancing across the sky.

The shade of red light began to grow deeper. Amidst the puffy clouds, the light shone through a little crack in the sky and down upon the duo as if saying "Come on, join us!"

The man shifted his gaze from the peachy sky to the young girl in his lap. "Well, shall we take our leave?"

But the gentle light and the silent ocean had lulled her to sleep.

He planted a light kiss on top of her sweet hair and remained on the rock for just another moment. "I'll take you back soon, mein süßes Mädchen."

/

So moments came, and moments went. Swept up in the whirlwind called life, the two never found the opportunity to share the sunrise again, although the promise was never lost.

And then, one not so very special day...

"-tria. Mr. Austria."

The man rolled over to face the 15-year-old, and then the clock on his nightstand: 5:11 a.m. "What is it, Liechten? It's 5 in the morning."

Liechtenstein smiled and held out her hand. "Come with me."

He propped himself up on one elbow, and asked, although he thought he already knew the answer, "Where are we going?"

"The beach."

**There you have it~ My first fanfiction on my new Mac.**

**Based on my trip last week to see the sunrise, which was at 5:11 where I live, hence the time on Austria's clock. I couldn't get to sleep so I just Googled (do you capitalize that?) what time sunrise was and walked down to the little beach by my house.**

**Yes, I know that those countries are landlocked so this would take place in one of their little riverside alcoves. **

**There's not enough little Liechtenstein fanfiction, or Liechtenstein fanfiction in general, or fanfiction of her and Austria, or especially little her and Austria (can you tell who my two favorite characters are?). **

**I hope you enjoyed! Have a great day!**


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